Honestly, when I came to town, I had no staff, no mother church, and no land. I had raised some support, and had met a few people in this area, but really had no core group. I just expected to meet people and love people one at a time and have a church that would grow slowly. Coming to town, I really struggled, because I didn't feel comfortable with knocking on doors or making telephone calls, because personally I didn't like it when people did that to me uninvited. So I needed to meet some people. I didn't have money for direct mailers, and instead felt that what God wanted me to do was to minister to and help people. So I picked one real need in communities - how to keep kids off of drugs - and I wrote a pamphlet, "How to Drug Proof Your Kids". 

I then got permission at Wal-Mart, Lucky's and Bel-Air and a few other stores, and set up a little card table in front of the stores. That was our first facility - a card table that had a sign that said "How to Drug Proof Your Kids" free booklets, sponsored by Adventure Christian Church - no donations accepted. I sat out in front of these stores for a few days and figured it was a win-win situation. If someone came and they were already part of a church or weren't interested in church, it didn't matter - I just wanted to help them keep their kids off of drugs. And if I met someone who didn't go to a church and they were interested, I would give them some information about Adventure. But my main concern was to help keep kids off of drugs and to help families. That is how we started Adventure Christian Church.

I thought that I would sit behind that table for years and that I would be known as the pastor of that little church who sits behind those little tables. In a few days, though, I had enough people to follow up on and I just began loving those people one at a time. Then they started inviting their friends. I haven't had a chance yet to put my table back out, but someday I will.

As the people I met, through sitting at the card table, began to grow, I asked the Lord, "What do you want me to do?" And I felt God responded, "Well, let's start with what you do know how to do." Well, not much. I have never started a church before. I have started ministries before - youth ministries, college ministries, couple's ministries, singles' ministries, remarried ministries and men's ministries - but I haven't started a church before. So I said, "Well, Lord, all I have done is start ministries." And I almost felt like God reached out and knocked me on the head, "McFly, McFly think about this." Oh, you want me to start ministries! 

So we started ministries. After I met a few people from the Wal-Mart table, I gathered those people into four different groups and in January 1994 launched on Monday nights a couples ministry, on Wednesday nights a singles ministry, on Thursday mornings a men's ministry and on Tuesday afternoons a senior's ministry. I had met a couple seniors who wanted to get involved so we met on Tuesday afternoons. We started by singing hymns and then we studied the Bible. And that's how we got started with those four groups. We have always been a ministry driven church.

We rented rooms for those four groups at Maidu community center in Roseville. Early on another miracle happened, when Rocklin High School agreed to have us use their cafeteria to hold services starting on Easter Sunday. We didn't have money for a big mailer to get the word out, so again we just trained the people in those four ministry areas to invite their friends. We had our opening with about 250 people - and we were off and running.

From day one I knew I couldn't compete in terms of fancy stuff. I'm not a drama guy, I'm not at all musical, so all I could do was love people one at a time. That's what I committed to. I was and am committed to loving every person who walks through our doors. That really comes from my heart as a father. I have 3 kids and have realized that some day they are going to grow up and move away. And I often think to myself, when they move away and go to someone else's church, how are they going to be treated when they walk through the doors? Are they just going to be another number in some guy's church or are they treated as valuable? Will the Pastor even know their names? So from day one, every person that walks through the doors I say to myself, "That's someone's kid and I want to love that person like I want my kids to be loved someday." And I train my staff and leaders to do that - that's what we do - we love people one at a time.

Every week, I ask the staff, "Tell me one person who has come to know the Lord this week, one person you met with, one parent you talked to." What I have learned is that if you love people one at a time they add up after awhile. So our whole church is organized for that. But, I also personally make a real effort at it.

I still try to memorize names and I don't get them all, but I get a few every week and those add up. Plus, I really knew that God wanted me to love people one at a time and He wanted me to teach the Bible. I really, basically, am a Bible teacher and an evangelist and I just love helping people to learn the Bible. It's by far the most thrilling book I have studied and I used to teach philosophy at the university, so I have read many books. But still I really feel that the Bible is the most incredible, most congruent, most insightful book ever written.

There are four things that from the beginning have built our church. We love people one at a time, we teach the Bible, we connect people to God in prayer and worship and we train people to invite their friends.

The next step in our amazing story was to look for land. But in 1993/1994 there was a real recession. Being a non-denominational church the only land we could afford was in an industrial zone. We found one piece that had power lines going over one corner, and industries didn't want it because of that. We thought we could put a parking lot under the lines. We had our first capital funds campaign the week after we turned one year old, and we raised funds to purchase the land. It was just an astounding thing for our baby church to do - I mean we hardly knew one another, yet we were stepping out in faith. And then the city actually came to us and held an emergency zoning ordinance revision meeting. They decided that they really didn't want a school and a church in that corner of the industrial zone. We felt it was persecution. We hired an attorney and our engineers met - and when the big city council meeting came - we presented our case. I felt we had a valid case, because right across the street there were houses and schools and things. But bottom line, some of the businesses in the area were not in support and the council voted 5-0 against us. 

The council voted 5-0 against us. Now I told the church the week before what our major goal was here - God has not called us to build buildings, God has called us to honor Jesus Christ by our lives and actions. So if this meeting goes the wrong way I don't want anyone to get out of control. So if you don't have your anger under control you are not invited to this meeting, because we want to honor Jesus Christ. The council voted 5-0 against us at this meeting and I was just crushed. But I knew in my spirit that God wanted me to say something. I leaned over to the attorney and asked if after they're done voting, before they take a recess would I have a chance to speak? And he said, "No." Well would they stop me if I stood up to speak?" And with concern in his eyes he said, "Probably not, but what are you going to say?" I said, "I have no idea, but I am praying." 

There is a Scripture that says God will give us the words to speak when we stand before the magistrates and counsels. Well I said, "Lord if that Scripture ever applied it is now. Please inspire me." I jumped to my feet and said, "Please there is just something I have got to say before everyone leaves. The city council said, "Okay, what?" Well, I am praying and waiting for inspiration and inspiration didn't come so I thought, "Okay, I'll stall. I'll give God a little time and thank everyone there."